Beer keg tap



2.Sheets-Sheet 1 l NV E N TQ 2 DAN/ez E. @Ez KH ATTQENBYS D. E. BELICHBEER KEG TAP March 3, 1970 Filed May 25, 1967 March 3, 1970 D. E. BELICH3,498,313

BEER KEG TAP Filed May 23, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NvENToK il DAN/Ez. E.5E /cH ATTORNES United States Patent O 3,498,313 BEER KEG TAP Daniel E.Belich, 8126 W. National Ave., West Allis, Wis. 53214 Filed May 23,1967, Ser. No. 640,630 Int. Cl. F16k 43/00; F161 55/10; B65d 83/14 U.S.Cl. 137-322 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This applicationdiscloses a tap in which the portion of the tap from the head to thebottom of the keg may remain in place during merchandising. The userneeds only a small coaxial outlet unit attached to tap beer and gaspressure lines. The outlet unit is small and easily cleaned, andrepresents only a modest investment for the tavern keeper. The portionof the device which is retained in the barrel contains valvingarrangements which prevent the escape of beer or gas pressure from apartially used keg when the outlet is withdrawn, and provide improvedValve arrangements which rely on elastic valve members for admission ofair under pressure.

Background of the invention Prior art devices of this kind have hadlarge, expensive, and clumsy units for installation at the point of usewhich are difficult to keep clean and are expensive to manufacture, andwhich for the most part do not remain in the keg to seal the keg againstcontamination and to retain pressure when the outlet unit is withdrawn.

Summary of the invention My invention comprises a ber keg tap having anewly designed coaxial outlet unit, and a fixed unit which ispermanently retained in a beer keg. The fixed unit includes a tubeextending to the bottom of the keg for withdrawal of the contents, andis provided with valves to retain pressure in the keg when the outletunit is removed and to prevent contamination of the contents of apartially used keg. These valves include a beer check valve which isopened by insertion of the outlet unit and closed by withdrawal of theoutlet unit without any special manipulation by the user, and having avalve activating spring which also functions as a strainer. The fixedunit is provided with highly effective seals which function to seal theoutlet unit to the fixed unit and to the keg in an easily releasablemanner, the outlet unit seals being combined with positioning andholding means for the outlet unit. The air pressure passage in the fixedunit is provided with an elastic valve for admission of air pressure tothe keg, the valve is located specifically in the neck of the kegthereby 4being protected by the neck of the keg from injury when theinside of the keg is spray coated at the brewery. The entire unit iseasily cleaned and assembled.

The outlet unit is a simple, attractive, and inexpensive coaxial tubeunit which is very much more readily cleaned than previous tap units,and consequently should be more acceptable to health and sanitationauthorities, and is provided with means which cooperate with the sealingmeans to lock the unit in place and means to operate the valve whichnormally seals the beer line. It is more safely and easily used byinexperienced persons, as compared with prior art units. My inventionfurther comprises a simple cap cover for sealing the outlet steminsertion opening, and which is readily applied at the brewery andreadily removed by the user, in order to maintain the sanitary conditionof the contents.

In the drawings:

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FIGURE 1 is a view of a keg with portions cut away to show my unitinstalled therein and with my outlet unit shown in position forinsertion.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing theoutlet unit inserted in the fixed unit.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the fixed unit withthe outlet unit removed therefrom.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a view of the fixed unit of my invention removed from thekeg with portions broken away to show the structure of the air valve.

FIGURE 6 is a view on line 66 of FIGURE 5 showng the means by which thefixed unit is attached to the FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view similar toFIGURE 2 showing a modification of the upper sealing means between theoutlet unit and fixed unit of my invention.

FIGURE `8 is a cross-sectional View on line 8 8 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a top view of the fixed unit of my invention showing amodification in the means for physically securing the outlet unit to thefixed unit.

FIGURE 10 is a view on line 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 1l is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view similar toFIGURE 7 showing a modified gas ad- :mission valve structure, the outletunit being shown in full lines.

FIGURE l2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE l1 showing the samestructure in a different condition of operation, and taken in a verticalplane in right angles to the plane in FIGURE l1, the outlet unit beingomitted.

FIGURE 13 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 showing the same structure in adifferent condition of operation, the fixed unit being shown in fulllines.

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE ll, showing a further modied formof my gas admission valve.

Description As shown in FIG. 1, my tap is installed in a beer keg 20 ofconventional form. It includes a fixed unit 21 and an outlet unit 25.The fixed unit 21 is permanently secured to the center opening of thebeer keg by the simple means shown in FIG. 3 and remains in placethrough subsequent use of the beer keg, except for repairs. Fixed unit21 includes a tube 22 which extends to the bottom of the beer keg, abody 23, and an external head 24, which is on top of the beer keg.Outlet unit 25 is retired by the tavern operator and has a beer outlet26 and an inlet 27 for carbon dioxide or air under pressure on a stem 28which is inserted into the opening in the head 24 of fixed unit 21.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the unit shown in FIG. 1,greatly enlarged. The outlet unit, which is designated generally by thenumeral 25, includes an exterior tube 28 which forms the body of theunit, and an interior tube 29 having a smaller diameter than theexternal tube. The inner tube 29 is flared at its upper end 30 and atits lower end 31 to the inner diameter of outer tube 28 and is securedwithin tube 28 by brazing with a metal which does not contaminate food,thereby forming a beer passage 32 within the inner tube 29 and gaspassage 33 between body tube 28 and inner tube 29. The beer outlet 26may desirably comprise an elbow which is brazed to the upper end of tube28 and which is provided with conventional means for retaining a hose(not shown) which leads to a beer dispensing valve in a tavern or thelike. The gas inlet (which may carry air or carbon dioxide or anysuitable gas under pressure) desirably comprises a T 27 which is a closefit on the exterior of body tube 28 and which is provided withconventional means for retaining a gas supply hose. The ends of thecross bar of the T are `brazed in place and a hole 34 is provided inouter tube 28 to admit the gas to passage 33 between the outer tube 28and inner tube 29. A cross member 35 is secured in the lower end of tube29 to prevent the ball of a check valve (which will later be described)from sealing the beer passage at flare 31. A flange 36 encircles bodytube 28 of fixed unit 25 to positively locate the tube vertically withrespect to fixed unit 21. It rests in a bevel 47 around the centralopening of fixed unit 21. A small rib 38 on tube 28, below the locatingflange 36, dsplaces the material of a resilient cylindrical seal member39 within fixed unit 21 to seal the central opening 40 of fixed unit 21to the outer wall of body 28 of outlet unit 25. Desirably a groove 41 isprovided in fixed unit 21 directly adjacent the resilient seal 39 in theplane in which rib 38 will rest when fiange 36 engages bevel 47. Thegroove 41 accommodates the displacement of seal 39 and thus provides adetent for locking in place and securely holding the tube 28 in thecentral opening 40 of the fixed unit 21. Resilient cylinder 39 issufficiently thick so that rib 38 may be inserted through it, despitethe lack of relief behind the seal 39 except at groove 41.

The head portion 24 of the fixed unit is provided with capscrews 42extending from the top surface of the head to a point well below thebottom surface thereof, and which are threaded into clamping lugs 43which are provided with a generally L-shaped extension 44 (FIG. 5 toengage the underside of the lip 45 of the keg neck 46. This structuremay be seen in top view at FIGURE 6, where the interrupted lips 45 areshown surrounding the neck opening 46, with the extensions 44 of lugs 43secured beneath the lips. The radially outward and inward surfaces oflugs 43 are curved to conform closely to the annular space in which theyrest, to facilitate tightening locking capscrews 42. Although lips `45conventionally are sllghtly inclined, to lock a beer tap beneath themwhen it is turned, in my structure capscrews 42 are primarily reliedupon to permanently lock and secure my fixed unit 21 in the keg 20. Theupper body 24 of fixed unit 21 is preferably provided with a peripheralgroove 48 to retain cover 49 as best shown in FIG. 3.

The body of unit 21, generally designated as 23, includes a tube 50which is threaded at 51 into a termination unit 52 which .(as best shownin FIG. 5) is generally circular |but is provided with wrench-flats '53for use in assembly and disassembly of the unit and has a cylindricalend 54 which is a tight fit within tube 22. The end of cylinder 54 isbeveled inside at 55 to make a smooth connection with the inner diameterof tube 22, thereby creating smoother liquid ow lines to obtain maximumsanitation conditions, and leaving no pocket. Likewise, the upper end oftermination unit 22 is beveled at 56 to meet the inner diameter ofspacer 57 and thereby presents a smooth liquid flow path withoutpockets. A seal 58 lies immediately above spacer S7 and is likewisebeveled at 59 to meet the inner diameter of spacer 57. Conical bevel 59also serves as a seat for valve ball 60 which is urged by spring 61toward bevel I59. As shown in FIG. 3 when outlet unit 25 is removed,valve ball 60 seats against bevel 59. This closes the opening in seal 58and also forces bevel 59 against the wall of 50 thereby preventing theescape of beer and the loss of pressure within keg 20. As shown in FIG.2, valve ball 60 is unable to seat on bevel 59 when outlet unit 25 isinserted because bar 35 prevents ball 60 from seating either on flare 31or on bevel 59, thus holding the beer passage 32 open for the withdrawalof beer. A conventional beer hose is attached to 26 and extends to adispensing valve so that beer atcually flows out of keg 20 only when thevalve is opened.

The length of tube 28 relative to flange 36 is such that the coils ofspring 61, when compressed, are spaced about .032 inch from each otherwith outlet unit in place, and since beer must pass through the spring,foreign matter is strained out without adding a separate strainer forthe purpose.

Seal 58 is a tight lit on the outside of outer tube 28 of outlet unit25, and is resilient. It is als-o a tight lit within the lower tube 50of the fixed unit 21 and thus aids in locating the outlet unit 25correctly as well as assisting in securing it in place and preventingthe leakage of beer around the exterior of tube 28.

Seal 58 separates the beer line from the passages which carry gas underpressure to the top of the keg, to furnish the force necessary to expelbeer from the keg. The gas enters inlet fixture 27 and passes throughopening 34 in tube 28 to the space 33 between tube 28 and tube 29. Itthen passes downwardly to opening 37 in the tube 28 to the space betweenseal 39 and seal 58. As may be seen in FIG, 2, there is a space betweenthe inside of outer tube 50 of the fixed unit and tube 28 of the outletunit at the point creating an air passage. A series of radial bores 70permit the gas to escape outwardly from this air passage and theresilient ru'bber sleeve 71 serves as a one-way valve to permit the airor other gas to enter the keg but not to escape it. Bores 70 are ofsmaller diameter, and (as best shown in FIG. 3) there are a number ofthem to accommodate the needed gas flow. When the outlet unit 25 isremoved, sleeve 71 will be exposed to full gas pressure on one side andto atmospheric pressure on the other side, which might cause a blowoutin the sleeve due to the gas pressure within the keg if any large areaof the resilient sleeve is unsupported. By keeping the holes 70 small,this danger is avoided.

It will be observed in FIG. 3 that the shape of the tube 50 is such thatseals 58 and 59 are positively located within the tube, and valve sleeve71 is positively located outside the tube, by radial walls -65 and 66.It will also be observed that the unit may be disassembled readily forcleaning because the tube 50 has a screw-threaded connection with head24 of the fixed unit 21 and with the end unit 52. The head unit 24serves to maintain seal 39 in its proper place at the upper end when theunit is assembled, while the end 52 and the spacer 57 perform the sameoffice for seal 58 at the lower end.

An O-ring `62 seals the head 24 and shaft 50` of the fixed unit 21against the neck 46 of the keg 20. The outer surface of tube 50 isprovided with wrench flats 72, which serve not only to facilitateassembly and disassembly of the unit without marring in order to cleanthe parts, but which also assure sufficient clearance between stem 50and the opening 46 of the keg to permit air, carbon dioxide or otherpressurized gas to enter the main body of the keg from valve sleeve 71.However, the location of the gas valve 71 within the beer keg opening 46gives it a protected location.

Thus my device contains a minimum of readily manufactured and assembledparts, which are without blind pockets to trap dirt and are readilycleaned. The brazed assembly of the outlet unit leaves a single smoothpiece which can be cleaned with a minimum of trouble by a tavernoperator, unlike a conventional tap. The ixed unit is slightly morecomplex but is still easy to clean by flushing with cleansing solutionor by disassembly and separate cleaning.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a modification of my device in which a snap ring 73is located between the upper seal 39 and the wall of tube 50. Ring 73 issufficiently small in diameter so that it exerts a compressive force onseal 39. The result is that when tube 28 is inserted, flange 38 passesthe snap ring and then is positively held in position by the compressionof snap ring 73 added to the engagement of ring 38 with seal 39. Ring 73is preferably accommodated within a groove 74 in tube 50 to insurecorrect positioning,

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a further modification of the device shown in FIGS.1 through 6 in which outlet unit 25 is provided with a pin 75 on thediameter of tube 28, the ends of pin 75 projecting outwardly from tube28 tO form a pair of projections which are received in Ibayonet slots inhead 24, the bayonet slots having a vertical portion 76 and a horizontalportion 77 so that the outlet unit 25 may be turned to bring pin 75 outof register with vertical slot 76, thereby locking the outlet unit 25 inposition. This structure may be employed rather than the structure shownin FIGS. 7 and 8, if desired.

FIGS. 11 through 13 show an alternate air valve structure. Tube 50 isprovided with a groove 80 below the outlets of the radial passages 70 intube 50. Groove 80 replaces the channel 78 between radial wall y65 and66 in the device of FIGS. 1 through 6, and is provided with a generallyradial wall 81 and with an inclined, or conical wall 82 which meets thesurface of tube 50` just below the air holes 70. An O-ring 83 serves asthe valve member and is of such a size that the outer diameter is alwayscompressed within the slightly smaller outer diameter of the neck 46 orkeg 20, and the inner diameter is always in engagement with the sides ofslot 80. Wrench fiats 72 occupy a chord of the cylindrical surface oftube 50, and the center of each wrench flat 72 is radially inward fromthe radially deepest portion of groove 80 (FIG. 1l).

This structure operates in the following manner. As best seen in FIG.12, when outlet unit 25 is not in place the pressure within keg isgreater than the atmospheric pressure, either because of thecarbonization of the beer or because of pressure which has previouslybeen supplied through the gas inlet 27 of outlet unit 25 and which isretained by the disclosed structure within keg 20. The pressure withinkeg 20 drives O-ring 83 upwardly until the converging walls of slot 80and neck 46 retain it in position, When outlet unit 25 is in place butpressure is not currently being supplied through inlet 27, the pressurewill usually be approximately equal on both sides of O-ring 83 and thering will come to rest at a lower position in slot 80 (FIG. 11). Whengas pressure is being supplied through the inlet 27 of outlet unit 25,it will enter the keg through the holes 70 and will drive O-ring 83downwardly in groove 80 until it reaches the vertical wall 81, whichprevents further downward movement. However the vertical wall 81 isinterrupted by wrench fiat 72, and (FIG. 13) when gas pressure issupplied, O-ring 83 deflects toward wrench fiat 72 and permits the gasto escape into keg 20. The resilience of O-ring I83 restores it to itsprevious shape when -gas is no longer escaping along wrench fiat 72.When outlet unit is removed, the holes 70 are again at atmosphericpressure and the internal pressure in keg 20 drives the O-ring 83 up theconical surface 82 of slot 80y until the convergence between surface 82and surface 46 brings it to a stop with the outlet from the keg tightlysealed. This structure provides a simple and extremely effective valvewhich is located within the neck of the keg and is thus protected bysaid neck.

FIG. 14 shows a structure which is still better protected. In thisstructure, a generally V-shaped groove 90 has its apex intersectingholes 70, and an O-ring 91 of smaller diameter than the apex occupiesthe groove. It functions in a. manner similar to the cylindrical valvemember 71 shown in FIGS. 1 through 7 to admit gas under pressure to thekeg but not to release it. O-ring 91 is less susceptible to blowouts,and is readily replaceable. In addition, the structure of FIG. 14 ishigh within neck 46 and accessible to the contents of the keg onlythrough the small annular clearance between the body 23 and the neck 46.It is thus especially well protected fwhen inside of the keg isperiodically spray coated at the brewery.

My device may also be modified by omitting parts 27, 34 and 33 whichform the gas or air passage in the outlet unit 25 and adding a separategas passage to the head of the keg, of a type which is known in otherenvironments. In this modification the device retains the advantages ofeasy manufacture and cleaning, an inexpensive outlet unit, and structurewhich prevents contamination and loss of pressure.

My device has an automatically activated safety feature incorporated inthe design. The seal 39 has a dual function, as outlined previously, itseals and at the same time holds securely outlet unit 25 in place infixed unit 21 when in use and as long as the gas or air pressure ismaintained at 15 to 30 lbs. preset at the pressure gauge. Because of thesimple and unique design of this holding means, the outlet -unit willautomatically be forced out of the fixed unit if and when the pressuregauge lwould accidently malfunction and fail to maintain a safe presetpressure. This action will thereby prevent the keg or container frombursting.

I claim:

1. In a beer keg 'having a downwardly extending cylindrical neck and atap, the improvement comprising a fixed unit which remains attached tothe keg within said neck, said fixed unit having an opening for anoutlet unit, a seal adapted to position and retain said outlet unit,beer passage means extending to the bottom of said keg, a one-way beervalve adapted to retain beer and gas under pressure within said keg, anda oneeway air valve adapted to retain gas pressure in said keg when saidbeer valve is open, and an outlet unit consisting solely of a beerpassage adapted for connection to an external beer conduit and to saidbeer passage means in said fixed unit, and an air passage adapted forconnection to an external gas pressure passage and to said one-way airvalve means, said outlet unit being adapted to actuate said beer valveto permit beer under pressure to flow in said beer passage.

2. The device of claim 1 in iwhich said beer valve in said fixed unitincludes a ball check valve in said beer passage, said ball check valvebeing adapted to close when said outlet unit is removed and to beactuated to an open position by said actuating means on said outlet unitwhen said outlet -unit is inserted.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said ball check valve is closed by ahelical compression spring, said spring being in said beer passage meansand having turns of the spring spaced closely enough to strain foreignobjects from beer in said beer passage means when said spring iscornpressed by said outlet unit actuating said valve to permit beer toflow in said passage.

4. The device of claim 2 in which said fixed unit has a second sealbetween said fixed unit and said outlet unit, said second seal being theseat of said ball check valve.

5. The device of claim 4 in which said one-way air valve is between saidfirst and second seals of said fixed unit, said valve means Ibeingenclosed by the neck of said keg.

6. The device of claim 5 in which the gas supply passage of said outletunit is provided with an opening between said first and second seals ofsaid fixed unit, said fixed unit being provided with an opening for gasin communicating with said opening in said outlet unit, said valve meansin said fixed unit including a member resiliently closing the passagefor said gas between said outlet unit and the body of said keg, saidpassage including the neck of said keg.

7. The device of claim 6 in which the exterior 0f said fixed unit isprovided with an annular channel within the neck of said keg and saidresilient gas valve member occupies said channel.

8. The device of claim 7 in which said channel is rectilinear incross-section, said gas passage of said fixed unit opening into saidchannel, and said resilient valve member is a cylindrical sleeve ofresilient material occupying substantially the entire width of saidchannel and resiliently closing said gas passage, said resilient memberbeing of such a size as to be in tension when installed in said groove.

9. The device of claim 7 in which said channel has a conical uppermargin, the resilient valve member being an O-ring having a surfaceengaged with said conical channel portion and a surface engaged with theneck of said keg, said fixed unit having a relieved portion below saidgroove and intersecting said groove, said relieved portion being deeperthan said groove, so that gas pressure from the opening in said fixedunit above said resilient valve member in excess of gas pressure in saidkeg displaces said resilient valve member into said re lieved portion,thereby permitting the passage of gas into said keg.

10. The device of claim 7 in which said groove has converging sides andsaid resilient member is an O-ring of such diameter as to be held intension against said sides, said radial gas passages in said xed unitintersecting said groove at the apex thereof and being normally sealedby said O-ring in tension, said O-ring being of such a size as toprovide clearance between said O-ring and the neck of said keg wherebyexcess pressure within the gas holes may deect said O-ring and escapeinto said keg.

11. The device of claim 1 in which all parts of said xed unit and allparts of said outlet unit are provided with smoothly merging surfaces,whereby said parts may readily be cleaned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary ExaminerDAVID R. MATTHEWS, Assistant Examiner ULS. Cl. X.R. 222-4007

